


ebb & flow

by sweetdaydreams



Category: The Politician (TV 2019)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, M/M, Oral Sex, i haven't written in a while so forgive me, sad sex, there's crying i'm sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:35:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24567808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetdaydreams/pseuds/sweetdaydreams
Summary: if river and payton had the guts to give in to their love for each other.
Relationships: River Barkley/Payton Hobart
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	ebb & flow

**Author's Note:**

> i'm not gonna lie, i haven't written a fic in such a long time, so this'll be a little rusty. 
> 
> hope you enjoy.

"it's so hard to have to try so hard all the time," payton whispers, tears silently streaming down his cheeks.  
"then don't." says river.  
"no. you don't get it. i've been like this for so long and-" payton softly shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut- "and it's like i don't know another way to _be._ "  
river leans in, simultaneously scooting his chair closer to payton's until their knees touch together. carefully, he places his hands on payton's shoulders.  


"look at me."  
"i don't wanna."  
“payton, look at me.”  
river slowly moves his hands up to the sides of payton's head, then lightly pulls on his hair with his right, cupping his chin with the left.  
"baby, _please_. just look at me."  
payton hesitates for a second, then looks up with tears still glistening in the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill over and get him sobbing all over again. 

"what?" he mumbles, eyes downcast.

"you don't have to try so hard for anyone. especially not for me," river says, "because i know who you really are. i know that it's hard. i know that it hurts so much. that’s why you don’t have to perform for me. i’ll keep telling you that as many times as you need to hear it." he sighs, moving his hands back down to payton's shoulders. "you know that i love you, right?"

"i guess."  
"what? i couldn't hear you."  
"i said i know. and i love you too."  
"that's good, then, because it means you won't be mad at me when i do this."

payton only has a second to decipher what's happening before river swiftly stands up and wraps his arms around the smaller boy's frame.  
then he’s cradling him softly, carrying payton to his bed and gently laying him in the center of the sheets. he’s gazing down at his boyfriend as if he’s some kind of butterfly, fragile, but at the same time, immensely beautiful. he’s not wrong.  
river climbs onto the bed after payton’s situated and settles down next to him. taking care not to disrupt the moment, he slips payton’s glasses off of his face and sets them on the nightstand. he carefully reaches for the other boy’s hand and intertwines their fingers - making sure to give payton an extra squeeze before resting their clasped hands in between both of their bodies.  


they lay like that, staring at the ceiling in silence for a bit.  


although payton had been trying his best not to cry again, after a minute he loses the will to hold it all back and the tears start spilling once more. he tries to stay silent, but eventually makes this desperate hiccuping noise, and river props himself up on an elbow to face him. 

“hey, payton. hey,” he asks, “can i kiss you?”

for a second there’s no response from payton. he knows that looking at river’s loving smile will make it worse, so he squeezes his eyes shut. instead, he nods his head and reaches out for river, grabbing onto his shirt and tugging him towards his spot on the bed. river follows and he carefully climbs on top of payton, knees bent on either side of his waist. he ducks his head down and rests his forehead against the still-sniffling boy’s.

he leans down for the kiss right as payton tilts his chin up. hand still wrapped up in river’s shirt, he sobs into his lips, resting in the air for a moment before he slumps back down into the pillow. leaning down once more, the second kiss feels more firm, and the breathing of his partner begins to slow. to payton, this feels like home. and right now, with everything changing so rapidly, the one thing he needs the most is the security of river nearby.

payton finally feels safe enough to open his eyes. they rest, unfocused, on the ceiling above. river moves to press a kiss on his tear stained eyelashes. after his lips leave, payton lowers his hand and musters up the energy to ask a question.

“can you fuck me? please?”  
“hmm?”  
he wants to know that his boyfriend is sure about this.  
“will you fuck me?” this time he looks at river, making sure the message gets across. “i feel like forgetting about stuff for a while. if that’s okay.”  
“of course it’s okay. c’mere.”  


they share another kiss, and river gets busy with payton’s neck.


End file.
